OHIO BRASS COMPANY RAILWAY SPECIALTIES.

The accompanying illustrations show some new devices for electric railway work, just being introduced by the Ohio Brass Company of Mansfield, Ohio. Figs. 1 and 2 represent Wood's

0.B.CO.

FIG. 1.-WOOD'S TWO-WAY SWITCH.

adjustable two and three way switch. The tongues of this switch being pivoted in the body admit of a wide range of adjustment, and it can be used equally well for a right hand, left hand or Y turn out. The two way style will answer for all turn outs, which makes it very convenient for new work. The three way switch is substantially the same as the two way except that the pan is made broader to admit of the use of three tongues. In fastening the

QUEEN "HOT WIRE" INSTRUMENTS.

QUEEN & CO., INC., of Philadelphia, are about to introduce a variety of standard voltmeters on the "hot-wire" plan made under the fundamental Cardew and other more recent patents. These instruments prove extremely accurate for both direct and alternating circuits, which is confirmed by an award received at the World's Fair for "Success attained in overcoming the defects of the ordinary hot-wire instrument, viz.: Lack of great range through which the instrument is sensitive, great correction due to change of temperature and inconstancy of zero point, and also for its compactness, portability and excellence of mechanical construction."

Exhaustive experimental work conducted in the Queen laboratory for more than a year past, enables the makers to feel great confidence in the efficiency of the "Acme" standard voltmeters, the portable type of which will be ready for sale in a few weeks. A price list and full particulars will be issued shortly.

SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TELEPHONE CO.

THE above company with headquarters at New Haven, Conn, has issued a very neat calendar for 1894, of which a copy has been sent us, accompanied by a list of towns and post offices in Connecticut and by a memorandum book that contains a list of pay stations for the use of non-subscribers. All the data is useful and well prepared.

furnished for the purpose, and the thimbles are then screwed on and fit into the recesses in the coupler. The two parts of the coupler are then screwed into each other making a strong compact splice but a trifle larger in diameter then the wire itself.

The feeder wire splicer, Fig. 4, can be used as a permanent or temporary connector. The halves of the splicer are placed over the abutting ends of the bare wire, and the nut is then screwed on

CUTTER'S NEW POLE PULLEY.

the older form of swivel pole pulley, which has been used extensively for several years, and which is said to be giving the best of satisfaction. The new type is built on the same general lines, but instead of requiring a special screw for fastening it to the pole, it has a wall-plate which can be secured with a couple of ordinary lag screws. This wall plate is made of malleable iron and curved so as to fit the pole, making the support both strong and quite rigid. That such a pulley will always swing into line with the hoisting rope so as to avoid any chafing of the rope, is evident, and this point, added to its other good features, will no doubt command a good market for it. It is made and handled by George Cutter of Chicago.

FIG. 4.-FEED WIRE SPLICER.

the tapered ends. These are slightly corrugated on the inside to securely clamp the wire. If a permanent splice is desired solder can be poured through a slot provided for this purpose. A joint made in this way is but a trifle larger than the wire and is of low resistance and great strength.

BERLIN IRON ROOFS.

The Berlin Iron Bridge Co., of East Berlin, Conn., have received the contract for an iron roof for the boiler and engine room of DeLand & Co., at Fairport, N. Y. The roof will be covered with The Berlin Iron Bridge Company's patent anti-condensation corrugated iron. The new mill of The Diamond Mills Paper Co., at Millbank. N. J., is being put in place by The Berlin Iron Bridge Co. The Citizens' Gas Co., of Brooklyn, N. Y., have placed the order for an iron roof for their new producer house, with the Berlin Iron Bridge Co. The building is 69 ft. wide and 151 ft long, with an iron roof covered with slate.

INFRINGEMENT OF THE STAR VENTILATOR.

IN the Omaha Sunday World Herald, of December 17th, appears a paragraph in regard to an alleged infringement of the patent of Merchant & Co.'s Star ventilator. It would seem that the Star ventilator was specified for the Lincoln, Neb., Hospital for the Insane and that the contractor placed other ventilators in the building, which Merchant & Co. claimed to be infringements on their Star patents. Steps were accordingly taken to stop payment on the work pending an investigation. The matter was duly laid before the State Board of Public Lands and Buildings, with the result that the board decided to withold a settlement with the contractor until he had made a satisfactory settlement with Merchant & Co. We are informed that Merchant & Co. have recovered heavy damages in the case.

REDUCED PRICES FOR "SECO" LAMPS.

THE SOUTHERN ENGINEERING CO., of Louisville, Ky., has issued an announcement of reduced prices for its "Seco" incandescent lamps, making the rate 32 cents for lamps up to 20 c. p.; 38 cents for 25 c. p. and 45 cents for 32 c. p. Special prices will be quoted on special lots or special makes. Any lamp proving defective within ten days of normal use will be replaced free of charge.

RE-ORGANIZATION OF THE MATHER ELECTRIC COMPANY. FOR several weeks a movement has been on foot for the transfer of the Mather Electric Company of Manchester, Conn., to a syndicate of Hartford capitalists. All the details of the transfer have now been arranged and new men will take charge of the company and its affairs. The old directors resigned Saturday, and at a meeting of the stockholders in the afternoon at the Phoenix National Bank, officers were chosen as follows: President, Maro S. Chapman; vice-president, T. C. Perkins; secretary_and treasurer, John L. Bunce; directors, Charles E. Perkins, T. C. Perkins, M. S. Chapman, Henry A. Redfield, Charles M. Jarvis, John L. Bunce, Norman McD. Crawford.

Mr. Charles E. Perkins is a well-known lawyer in Hartford, and his son Mr. T. C. Perkins, who becomes vice-president, will assume all the active duties of the management. Mr. T. C. Perkins is well known in New England, and though still young in years, has had a varied experience in the electrical field, and knows well just what kinds of dynamos and motors are required. He is also well known in the West, having been associated with Mr. W. B. Pearson in the management of the Chicago office of the Ball & Wood Company. Mr. Perkins has the reputation of being enterprising and pushing in the extreme, and will lend all his youthful energies to the business. Mr. Henry A. Redfield is president of the Phoenix National Bank, Hartford. Mr. C. M. Jarvis is widely known as the general manager of the Berlin Iron Bridge Company, of East Berlin, Conn. Mr. Chapman is in charge of the Government Envelope Works in Hartford, and is also president of the Perkins Electric Lamp Company, and the Waring Electric Company. Mr. Crawford is a consulting electrical engineer of Philadelphia, and is at present electrician of the Hartford Street Railway Company. Mr. Bunce who will be directly associated with Mr. Perkins has had several years' experience in the electrical business, having been with the Schuyler Company and the Perkins Switch Company.

The new officers have engaged as superintendent of the electrical and manufacturing departments Theodore Gonet, an electrical engineer who is at present with George Westinghouse, of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company of Pittsburgh. He will have associated with him W. E. Powell, who is now with the Mather Company. The company starts out under the re-organization free from debt and with a working capital of about $80,000 outside of the stock capitalization of the company. Electrical supplies of various kinds will be made, but the company will make a specialty of large dynamos and generators for electric lighting plants and electric street car systems.

Recently the Mather Company made an addition to their factory of a building 200 feet by 50 feet, with a traveling crane capable of lifting 20 tons, so that they are now well equipped to manufacture the largest sizes of generators and dynamos. The old ring type of machine will still be used, but new types will be developed in the heavy railway generators as soon as practicable. The shops are running light at present, but it is expected that a large force of men will be put to work in the near future, and before long it is hoped that 200 to 300 men will find employment with the Mather Company.

MUNICIPAL CONDUIT SYSTEMS IN MASSACHUSETTS.

A bill has been introduced into the Legislature of Massachusetts to enable cities and towns to construct, maintain and lease conduits and the connected structures for electrical wires, cables and conductors. The bill provides that

Any city or town in which electrical wires, cables, etc., are in use over, along or across any public way, may accept the provisions of the act, and thereupon proceed to construct, operate and maintain conduits, manholes and the necessary distributing boxes and service pipes connected therewith and may compel any and all corporations, firms and individuals using the wires, etc., to place the same in such conduits and man-holes and compel owners of wires within ninety days after the service of notice to remove the same from over or across public ways; if the wires are not removed within ninety days, the city or town may remove them at the cost of the owner; a city or town may defray the cost of such conduit by issues of bonds to be called "Conduit Loan Bonds," to run not over thirty years and bear interest at a rate of not more than five per cent.; a rental not exceeding $500 per mile annually for each three-inch duct in the conduit may be charged for use of the conduit.

Nothing in the act is to be construed as referring to trolley wires of street railway companies or supporting wires for the same. In case there is an existing conduit in a city or town it may be taken upon terms agreed upon by the parties, or at a price, in case of disagreement, fixed by a method provided for by the bill. No public highway is to be interferred with without the consent of the public highway commission.

UNDERGROUND WIRES IN ST. LOUIS.

PRESIDENT MCMATH of the St. Louis Board of Public Improvement says that in case a conduit system is required by the city a grand trunk subway would probably be built to lie north and south. It would be built very like a sewer, the material used in its construction being either brick or concrete. The interior would be large enough for workmen to move in, and the cables carrying the wires would be laid on shelves or brackets on the sides.

In this subway would be laid all kinds of wires, including the

supply wires of the street railroad and electric light companies. At right angles from this grand trunk subway and at intervals of not less than two blocks submains would be required, consisting These of 20 or less ducts, carrying the cables of all companies. conduits could be laid under the sidewalk and when put down be subject to calculations ahead for 25 years or more.

No permits are now granted for the excavation of basement or cellar areas within four feet of the curb line, this four feet being reserved by the Board of Public Improvements for city use for whatever purpose that space may be most available, and it is in this space that the subways will probably be placed.

WESTERN NOTES.

THE JONES BROS. ELECTRIC Co., Cincinnati, O., are about to bring out a new lightning arrester in three designs-oné for station work, one for outside work, and one for electric cars.

ST. LOUIS ELECTRICAL SUPPLY CO.-Mr. E. Rubel, President of this company, was at the Auditorium, Chicago, for several days last week, looking after some important business for this com

pany.

MR. CHARLES WIRT, of Wirt indicator fame, has just bought the entire stock, tools, fixtures and "good will" of the Wirt Laboratory, formerly owned by the Ansonia Electric Co. Mr. Wirt in addition to the manufacture of the well-known "Wirt brush will now manufacture his indicator. Mr. D. B. Cheever for many years with the Ansonia Co. remaining in charge of that department.

THE UNDERWRITERS' HATCH DOOR CO., Chicago, of which Hon. Jno. W. Hepburn is president and general manager, are overwhelmed with orders for their automatic electric hatch doors, by which all the floors of an elevator shaft are automatically closed in case of a fire starting in any part of the building. This company is soon to extend its operations to all the larger cities of the United States.

P. & B.-The Metropolitan Electric Company have just taken the General Sales Agency for the P. & B. specialties, which include paint, armature varnish, electrical compounds, tape and Chatterton's compound. A large stock will be carried at their store and ware rooms, 186-188 Fifth Avenue, and prices will be made the same as from the factory.

CROUSE-TREMAINE CARBONS. Appreciating the demand which has existed for some time for a stock of high grade electric light carbons in Chicago the Electric Appliance Company have made arrangements to carry a stock of the celebrated Crouse-Tremaine carbons in Chicago sufficient to meet all reasonable demands for prompt shipment. They are also prepared to bid on large quantity orders for direct shipment from factory.

RAPID TRANSIT FOR NORTH CHICAGO.-Among the important measures that came before the Chicago Council at its last meeting was a proposition for extensive electric lines on the North side, which, it is claimed, will do away with the horse cars and transfer slips. The North Chicago Electric R.R. Co. made the proposition, and it has been recommended by the Council Committee on Streets and Alleys, North, D. H. Louderback, J. L. Cochran and others, who control the Evanston Ave. electric line, are said to be behind the scheme, although Mr. Cochran says the two companies are independent of each other. The discussion of the proposed ordinance in the council promises to be a stormy

one.

MR. J. L. BARCLAY has moved into his new business quarters on the 16th floor, in the South end, of the Monadnock Building. The offices are well adapted for Mr. Barclay's electrical interests, and primarily selected by him for exploiting the Walker Manufacturing Company's electric railway and power machinery. The Central and Western departments of the Company's business are under Mr. Barclay's immediate supervision and management. Mr. H. McL. Harding, who is also interested in the above Company, has his headquarters for the Eastern department, in New York. While the general electrical interests of the Walker Manufacturing Company will receive the combined attention of Messrs. Barclay and Harding, all business directly connected with the Western and Middle States will be transacted at the Chicago headquarters. The appointment of District and Sales agents is now receiving attention. At this time, particularly, little trouble will be encountered in securing competent men. Mr. Barclay feels very much encouraged at the business outlook, notwithstanding the financial depression. Inquiry for the heavy types of generators and motors, such as the Walker Company manufacture,

are numerous.

Departmental items of Electric Light, Electric Railways, Electric Power, Telegraph, Telephone, New Hotels, New Buildings, Apparatus Wanted, Financial, Miscellaneous, etc., will be found in the advertising pages.

Vol. XVII.

No. 308.

machinery may be worked from one-half the battery independently of the other half if desirable.

The motors are geared to the main shaft that turns the bridge, and also to another shaft that operates the locking mechanism, both through the medium of friction clutches. The main shaft is cut at its centre and an equalizer is introduced to distribute the strain upon the large rack. The main gear wheel is five feet in diameter with a six inch face. An electric signal tells when the tracks on the bridge are in line, that the draw may be stopped exactly at that point. It is not supposed that the draw will be swung many

EAST OMAHA AND COUNCIL BLUFFS DRAW BRIDGE.

THE STORAGE BATTERY ON A DRAW BRIDGE, AT

OMAHA.

NE of the most interesting applications of the storage battery is that recently successfully tested, and now in actual operation, on the 520 foot span of the Omaha Bridge and Terminal Company's draw bridge between East Omaha and Council Bluffs. The draw weighs between three and four million pounds and is swung in about four minutes by two Waddell-Entz motors of forty h. p. each, taking current from 384 cells of copper-steel alkaline storage battery arranged upon eight racks, each two in series, giving four distinct units. The motors, batteries, switchboard and gearing are all contained in a tower at the middle of the span forty feet above the

road bed. The cells are charged from the trolley wire of the East Omaha Street Railway Company. The whole battery may be charged in series or it may be divided into two parts and each charged separately, and the

SWITCHBOARD IN OMAHA DRAW BRIDGE TOWER..

times in the year for the passage of steamboats, but to keep it in good order the company will probably open and shut as often as once a week.

SENSITIVE CELLS.

In a letter to Nature of January 18th, Prof. Minchin describes some results obtained by him at Dara-mona House, Westmeath, by aid of Mr. W. E. Wilson's two-foot reflector in measuring the photo-electric effect of the light of the planets and fixed stars. The sensitive cells employed were seleno-aluminum-aenanthol cells, three square millimetres in area, and were connected with the telescope in place of the eye-piece. Clifton's form of the quadrant electrometer was employed. An electromotive force of 1 volt was represented by 460 scale divisions. Venus (quarter of disc) gave 40 divisions; Sirius, 9 divisions. Aldebaran gave no result,

Lamps L L are inserted between the positive and negative bus in order that the circuits may be more easily traced. It should be explained that power is also supplied to the railway system by two other stations. One of the terminals. of the voltmeter, which is a Weston station instrument, is connected with the line through a reversing switch and the other terminal is connected with a five-point switch, the first contact of which is connected with the reversing switch and each of the four others with the negative terminal of one of the generators. The positive terminal of each generator is connected with the positive bus by bridging this side of its main switch with fuse wire.

To indicate the voltage of the line, the five-point switch is placed upon the first contact, as shown in the diagram. When it is desired to throw in a dynamo, the connections of the voltmeter are reversed by the reversing switch; the new position of the switch being shown by the dotted lines. The voltmeter pointer will now move off the scale beyond the zero point. The five-point switch is then moved upon the contact connected with the generator which is thus connected to the line in series with the voltmeter. If these connections be made before the generator is started, the high resistance of the voltmeter prevents an appreciable current from flowing through the circuit.

ONE VOLTMETER METHOD OF SWITCHING DYNAMOS IN PARALLEL.

The positive terminal of the generator being connected with the positive bus, the voltage of the generator opposes that of the line. If the line pressure be the greater, a current will flow from the positive bus, through the generator and the voltmeter, to the negative bus. If the voltage of the generator be the greater, the current will flow through the voltmeter in the opposite direction, and the voltmeter will indicate the difference between the two pressures. In the first case, the voltmeter would indicate the difference in two voltages, if its connections be reversed by the reversing switch. When the voltage of the generator equals that of the line, no current will flow through the circuit and the indication of the voltmeter will necessarily be zero. In this way the proper time for switching in a generator may be ascertained with one voltmeter without any possibility of error, even if the pressure on the line be continually fluctuating.

EFFECTS OF THE STORM.

were

ONE of the most convincing arguments in favor of underground wires, if indeed such argument necessary, was the severe storm which visited Chicago on February 19. While nearly all of the overhead lines suffered more or less from the effects of the blizzard, the underground service of the fire alarm, police telegraph, telephone, Postal and Western Union, as well as of the several electric light companies, met with no interruption whatever. Outside of Chicago the damage to the wires was rather severe, the greatest trouble to the telegraph lines being reported in the south-west, near Cincinnati, as well as in the neighborhood of Columbus, O. The LongDistance service seemed to have suffered the least, showing the advantage of superior line construction, where underground work is impracticable.

one does crop up, the most recent example of this kind being the machine of Mr. Ludwig Gutmann of Cleveland, Ohio. Hitherto most of the designs have been directed towards securing the most effective magnetic circuits, to obtain which, mechanical construction and other considerations have been frequently neglected to a considerable degree.

This was specially noticeable at the World's Fair when observing the loading, unloading and mounting of dynamos, armatures, etc. Looking at these devices from a mechanical standpoint it was apparent that a heavy armature with its bearings far apart, which is necessitated by the interposed field magnets, has decided disadvantages. The two principal ones are, first, the great care required in handling such armatures to prevent damaging the insulation of the field magnet coils as well as armature in mounting or removing the same; and secondly, the constant watch that is required so that the bearings may not be worn down to so great an extent as to cause a considerable onesided pull on the armature, resulting in springing of the shaft, and causing the revolving armature to rub against the

FIG. 2.

F

field magnet poles. Another weak point not to be underestimated is that in most machines a heavy casting forming part of the field magnet has to be removed to obtain access to the armature. In the new type designed by Mr.